richardson



(No Model.)

W. H. RICHARDSON.

WRIST GUIDE AND TAILPIEGE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

No. 569,032. Patentefi Oct. 6, 1896.

WITNESSES //V VE/VTOI? ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

\VILLIAM H. RICHARDSON, OF TRENTON, NElV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF, YVILLIAM \VALTON, AND CHARLES H. IVALTON, OF SAME PLACE.

WRlST GUIDE AND TAILPIECE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 569,032, dated October 6, 1896.

Application filed May 27,1896. Serial No. 598,303. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may co/tccrn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM II. RICHARD- SON, of Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved \Vrist- Guide and Tailpiece for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a wristguide for stringed instruments espe- IO cially adapted for mandolins, which wristguide will be an integral portion of the tailpiece, the guide and tailpiece being so shaped as to be expeditiously and conveniently placed upon the instrument in firm position, the

I 5 guide serving to direct the wrist and support the same during the operation of playing, without interfering in the slightest degree with the freedom of a full or a forearm movement when such movements are required.

A further object of the invention is to construct the attachment to stringed instruments above described in a simple, durable, and economic manner.

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination of the several parts,as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification,

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an instrument having the improved tailpiece and wrist-guide applied. Fig. 2 is a rear eleva- 3 5 tion of the article removed from the instrument. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the combined wrist-guide and tailpiece on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the comb employed in connection with the tailpiece proper for the purpose of holding the strings of the latter.

In carrying out the invention the device consists of a wristguide A and the tailpiece B, the two parts being integral or made from 5 one piece of material, which material maybe metal, celluloid, or anyhard substance capable of having a smooth finish. The wristguideA is at an angle, substantially at a right angle, to the tailpiece, and is shaped to extend along the upper face or sounding-board of the instrument at the rear, as shown in Fig. 1, and the said wrist-guide is provided with a longitudinal horizontally-located cavity 10, while the edge of the guide which connects with the tailpiece is rendered more or less rounded, as shown at 11 in Figs. 1, 2, and

The eoncaved surface 10 of the wristguide is made to taper gradually to its forward edge, and the side walls of the said concavity are gradually tapered off, so that while the concavity will accommodate and guide the Wrist of the player, the hand being over the strings, the wrist may move horizontally over the guide and even with its ends without inconveniencing the player.

The tailpiece, which is carried vertically down the back or tail section of the instrument, is provided near its junction with the guide with a number of horizontal openings 12, and these openings are so placed that when the device is in position on the instrument the strings may be passed readily from the bridge out through the said openings; and below the horizontal openings 12 a series of vertical openings 13 are produced in the tailpiece, these latter openings having straight sides and straight upper ends, their lower ends being more or less eoncaved, as is particularly shown in Fig. 2.

The body portion of a comb 1a is placed beneath the tailpiece at the rear of the openings 13 and between said openings and the upper horizontal openings 12, and the teeth 15 of the said comb correspond in number and correspond in position substantially to the number and position of the openings 13 in the tailpiece. Each tooth 15 is convexed upon its upper surface and ordinarily concaved upon its under face, as shown in Fig.

3, and when the comb is placed in position 0 the teeth will extend within each of the openings 13 at the center, the width and length of each tooth being such as to provide a space between the sides of the openings 13 andthe sides of the teeth 15 and between the lower 9 5 curved ends of the openings and the lower ends of the teeth, as is shown in both Figs.

2 and 3, but in no instance do the teeth eX- tend upward beyond the plane of the upper face of the tailpiece.

The tailpiece and the body of the comb are provided with corresponding apertures through which screws 16 are passed for the purpose ct attaching the comb to the tailpiece and both of these parts to the rear end portion of the instrument, it not being necessary that the wrist-guide should be secured in any mannerto the soun din g-board. Under this construction a combined wrist-guide and tailpiece is formed which will oii'er no projections to interfere with the proper move ment of the hand when the instrument is to be played. Furthermore, the device is exceedingly economic, being manufactured at a low cost and being in but one piece with a comb so conveniently connected that any person will be able to adjust the device properly upon the instrument. The comb is adapted to hold the rear ends of the strings of the instrument after they have been passed through the upper longitudinal openings 12.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A wrist-guide and tailpiece i'or stringed instruments, constructed from one piece of material, the two parts being at angles to each other, and the tailpiece having a series of guide-openings adjacent to the guide-piece and a second series of openings below the guide-openings, and a comb attached to the under face of the tailpiece, the teeth whereof extend through the second series of openings in the tailpiece, the teeth of the comb being of such size as to provide a space between the side and lower end walls oi the openings containing the comb-teeth and corresponding portions of the teeth, substantially as shown and described.

2. A wrist-guii'lc and tailpiece I'or stringed instruments constructed of a single piece of material, the two parts being at angles to one another, the tailpiece having a series of longitudinally arranged guide openin through which the strings are to pass after having passed beneath the wrist-guide, the tailpiece being i'urther provided with a lower series of openings having straight sides and concaved lower ends, a comb the body of which is in engagement with the under face of the tailpiece between the two series of openings, the teeth of the said comb extendin g within the lower openings and admitting of one or two strings being secured to the tailpiece at each of the lower openings, the attaching device employed for securing the attachment to the instrument serving also to secure the comb to the tailpiece, as and For the purpose specified.

\VlL'Ln Uit ll. RICHARDSON.

\Vitnesses:

Jenn G. lio'wnnn, FRANK Lucas. 

